This photo of evangelist Franklin Graham was taken at Daystar Studios in Bedford, Texas, on Jan. 25, 2017. Graham on Wednesday called separating children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border "disgraceful" and "terrible," but he steered clear of blaming the Trump administration. Max Faulknermfaulkner@star-telegram.com

This photo of evangelist Franklin Graham was taken at Daystar Studios in Bedford, Texas, on Jan. 25, 2017. Graham on Wednesday called separating children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border "disgraceful" and "terrible," but he steered clear of blaming the Trump administration. Max Faulknermfaulkner@star-telegram.com

North Carolina-based evangelist Franklin Graham on Wednesday called separating children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border "disgraceful" and "terrible," but he steered clear of blaming the practice on a new Trump administration policy.

In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, Graham blamed what's happening at the border on lawmakers "over generations."

When a network interviewer asked Graham for his thoughts on the new policy, which she said "appears to be separating" children and their parents at the border, Graham replied:

"I think it's disgraceful, it's terrible, to see families ripped apart, and I don't support that one bit. And I blame the politicians for the last 20, 30 years that have allowed this to escalate to the point where it is today.

Some national media outlets took Graham's comments to mean he was criticizing the administration, but Graham never mentioned the Trump administration in the interview.

Rev. Franklin Graham closed out Friday’s inauguration of President Donald Trump by saying his prayer was that God would bless the new president, his family, his administration. It started raining as Trump began his inauguration speech.